March 22

Gabriel Kelley

‘If you want something done right, do it yourself.’

That line of advice tends to get stated with a lot more frequency than it’s actually followed. In Gabriel Kelley’s case, though, it’s something he’s never needed to think about: It’s the way he’s always done things.

The talented 27-year-old raised most of the funds for his debut album with a Kickstarter campaign, but his manner of conducting his life and music runs deeper. The saga of how IT DON’T COME EASY came to be is one of steadfast determination and self-sufficiency and a commitment to doing the right thing—often against challenging odds. And, as Kelley himself notes, there’s a corollary: Even when the creative process isn’t a walk in the park, it’s worth the effort when the work is honest.